Athletic supporter



United States Patent Inventor John A. Smithers 741 23rd Ave. Court,Moline, Illinois 61265 AppL No. 791,985 Filed Jan. 17, 1969 PatentedDec. 15, 1970 ATHLETIC SUPPORTER 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 128/158, 2/2, 128/100 Int. Cl A611 5/40 Field ofSearch 128/158,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,475,532 7/1949 Van Voorhis128/158 3,176,686 4/1965 Barnes 128/132 Primary Examiner-Adele M. EagerAttorney-William A. Murray ABSTRACT: An athletic supporter composed of awaistband having opposite free ends, a pouch and buttock bands dependingfrom the waistband and joined together at their lower ends, and adetachable juncture in the waistband composed of a patch of minute hookelements facing inwardly from the inner side of the band and adapted topenetrate into the grip the fibers on the outer side of the band whenone end portion is in overlapping relation with the other end portion.

PATENTEU DEC! 5 I976 INVENTOR. vJOHN A. SMITHERS FIG. 5

FIG.6

ATTORNEY ATHLETIC SUPPORTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to an athletic supporter having a waistband with an inner layerof elastomer material that contacts the surface of the skin and an outerlayer of fabric. The waistband has face ends adapted to overlap with theouter end having a patch of minute hook elements directed inwardly andadapted to penetrate into and engage the fibers of the fabric side ofthe band.

Heretofore, the conventional-type athletic supporter has been composedof acontinuous waistband with a pouch and two buttock straps dependingfrom it. The buttock bands and pouch are joined at their lower ends.

There are several problems that exist with the above-type athleticsupporter. It is desirable that the waistband fit snugly buy yetcomfortably. The waistband usually has a rubber base so that it canstretch or yield. However, as the supporter is used and laundered, theband becomes worn and permanently stretched, thereby becoming bothuncomfortable and inefficient. The band becomes rolled anduncomfortable. There is no way to adjust the length of the waistband.

With the above in mind, it is the primary object to provide an athleticsupporter having a waistband of an inner side of elastomer material andan outer fabric side. The band has opposite ends and a male Velcro patchat one end on the elastomer side that penetrates into the fabric side ofthe opposite end portion, when overlapped, so as to grip the fibers ofthe fabric side. The elastomer layer is of sufficient gauge to preventrolling of the band and the elastomer layer will fit against the skin toprovide a firm support around the waist that fits the contour of thebody. The waistband can be adjusted to any size waist and be adjusted tothe comfort of the wearer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theathletic supporter of the present invention with its waistband notclosed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the athletic supporter of FIG. 1 withthe waistband closed and joined.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views, similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, of amodified form of the invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line 55of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar toFIG. 5, showing the structure in adifferent position.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6, an athletic supporter is composedin part of a waistband 10 having opposite ends 11, 12. The band has anouter layer 13 of fabric that is positioned away from the body and aninner layer 14 of elastomer material that lies next to the body when theathletic supporter is mounted on the body. The layers 13, 14 are fusedto one another so as to prevent separation thereof. The fabric layer 13is of one of numerous fabrics that are woven to stretch and to havecrimped fibers 15 on its surface.

The genital-supporting portion of the supporter is composed of a genitalpouch 16 having a wide upper portion sewed at 17 to the lower edge ofband 10. A pair of buttock bands or straps l8, 19 is also sewed, as at20, to the waistband 10 and depends therefrom. The buttock bands 18, 19and genital pouch are joined at their lower ends in a conventionalmanner. It should also be noted that the first buttock band 18 isclosely adjacent the end 11 and the second band 19 is spaced lengthwisefrom the end 11 and substantially at the midpointbetween the ends 11,12. The pouch 16 is, of course, midway between the bands or straps 18,19. Thus, the length of waistband l0 beyond the strap 19 will fit acrossthe back of an individual except for the portion adjacent the end 12that is in overlapping relation to the portion adjacent the end 12.

At the end 12 there is provided a fastener device in the form of a patch21. The patch 21 is of a male Velcro material having a plastic base 22and a multitude of integral minute hook elements 23 that project fromthe base 22. The patch 21 is fixed by sewing, or other suitable means,to the inner or elastomer side 14 of the waistband 10 and willfacetoward the body. As may be seen, the patch 21 is smaller than the widthof the band 10 so as to permit some tolerance when closing on theunderlying portion.

In applying the supporter on the body, the waistband is left open untilthe other parts thereof are comfortable on the body. The band is thenclosed by overlapping the end portion adjacent end 12 over the endportion adjacent the end 11. This will occur across the front of thebody where a double layer of waistband 10 may support the lower abdomenmuscles. The patch 21 is pressed slightly into the fabric side of theband 10 until the minute hook elements grip the fibers in the fabriclayer 11, thus locking the waistband in a closed condition.

The construction of the waistband serves several purposes. The elastomerlayer next to the skin serves to shape to the body contour and toslightly grip the skin so that the feel of support remains constant. Theelastomer layer also serves to pad the body against the patch 12. Itfurther serves to retain uniform width of the band 10, even after thepatch has penetrated and removed from the fabric layer 11 severalhundred times. It should here be recognized the withdrawalof the hookelements from the fabric, as shown in FIG. 6, tends to pull the fibersfrom the fabric and would, unless the fabric is reinforced, tend to neckdown at the area of implantation of the patch into the fabric. Theelastomer layer gives sufficient body or support to the fabric toprevent such.

The primary advantage, however, of the present supporter is that it mayeasily and simply be adjusted for comfort by merely raising the patch 21from the fabric side of the underlying portion of the waistband andreinse'rting it at the desired location.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the waistband l0,pouch l6, and buttock straps 18, 19 are substantially identical andconsequently are given identical reference numbers. The primarydifference lies in the positioning of a patch 25 on the end 11 of thewaistband rather than at the opposite end 12. Thus, when closing theband 10 the end portion adjacent the end 12 is laid across the lowerabdomen and the end portion adjacent the end 11 is laid outside thereofand the patch 25 pressed slightly into the fabric. This causes the twoend portions to be locked together. It also provides a double layer ofwaistband across the abdomen muscles. The elastomer layer on the innerside of the outer band portion frictionally engages the fabric surfaceof the underlying band portion and will prevent lengthwise slippagebetween the band portions. Thus, the band, when assembled on the body,offers double support across the lower abdomen, and the portionextending across the back will extend and retract due to activity of theperson wearing the supporter.

I claim:

1. An athletic supporter composed of an elongated waistband havingopposite ends and composed of an outer fabric side and an inner side,the outer fabric side having exposed fibers on its surface; a latchingdevice at one of the ends on the inner side of the band and adapted toengage and grip the fibers of the outer side when in an overlappedposition therewith; a pouch depending from the lower edge of thewaistband and fixed thereto; a pair of buttock bands depending from thewaistband on opposite sides of and spacedly from the pouch, and meansinterjoining the lower end of the pouch and buttock bands at their lowerends.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the waistbands inner sideis composed of an elastomer layer and its outerfabric side is a fabriclayer fused to the inner side.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the latching device is apatch of minute hook elements extending from the inner side and adaptedto grip the fibers of the outer side.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the first of the buttockbands is relatively closely adjacent one of the ends of the waistband,the other buttock band is substantially at the lengthwise midportion ofthe waistband, and the pouch is connected to the waistband substantiallyintermediate of the two buttock bands.

The invention defined in claim 4 in which the latching device is a patchof minute hook elements adapted to penetrate into the fabric side andgrip the crimped fibers; and thepatch is fixed to the end of thewaistband adjacent the first of:the buttock bands.

The invention defined in claim 1 characterized by the waistband being ofsuch'length that it will circumscribe a body part and the overlappedportions will be sufficient to extend across the abdomen portion of thebody.

*f-7; The invention defined in claim 6 in which the waistband iscomposed of an inner layer of elastomer material and an outer layer offabric and the elastomer side when overlapped 'will'frictionally resistlengthwise movement between the overfirst of the buttock bands.

9. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the latching device is apatch of hook elements and the normal area of the underlying portionthat the patch engages has a reinforcing layer of material that preventsnecking down of the band at that area. i i i 10. An athletic supporter.composed of an elongated waistband having opposite ends and composed ofan outer fabric layer and an inner elastomer layer, the fabric layer having exposed crimped fibers on its surface; a patch of minute hookelements atone of the ends facing inwardly and adapted to engage andgrip the fibersof the fabric layer when the respective end is in anoverlapped position therewith; a pouch depending from the lower edge ofthe waist band and fixed thereto; a pair of buttock straps dependingfrom the waist band on opposite sides of and spacedly from the pouch;and means joining the lower ends of the pouch and straps.

